52 Weeks, Week 27

Our summer adventure has started, a few days in France and now Italy. We’re now in the Amalfi Coast after several days in Capri. Every time I’ve come back to Italy, the country I’ve visited most after France, I am reminded how much I love the culture, the food and the people.

Capri was a mixed bag for us. As beautiful as the overall landscape is, the house we rented had some plumbing issues that prevented us from truly enjoying our stay. The two showers at the house had their own set of problems so we were subjected to take our showers at the outdoor unit, tucked somewhat discreetly in one of the house’s gated corners. Imagine, eight people reduced to one shower. Thankfully, we were in vacation mode so the adults were more tolerant than usual while the kids made a whole game of staking out who gets to shower first.

Capri is also a very popular tourist vacation spot so there were crowds pretty much everywhere. This meant that lunches and dinners at restaurants need to be timed to avoid long waits. The “piazzetta” or town center where we went for many meals and gelato stops were always packed, except maybe during siesta, when the heat is the most unforgiving.

I supposed I had visions of Jackie O in her Capri days with clothing designer Valentino. While the glamour may not be as omnipresent in the island as it was 30 to 40 years ago, there are still parts of the island, places we’ve visited or dined at, that remind you why people come here to visit. The overall gentility, kindness and warmth of the people is what I find most satisfying. People are proud of their industry and jobs, regardless if their shop clerks, restaurant waiters or taxi drivers. There is also the undeniable natural beauty of the place that no amount of tourist can diminish.

I have more photos to show in the next few days and probably weeks. But I’d like to share my initial images of Capri with you.